Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-11
Southern DEVELOPMENT.

The Pittsburgh Times, following the
lead of good many other northern papers,
has this to say in discussing progress in
tie South:
.Wboeyer has watched the Southern
boom' has noticed that northern men and
money are chiefly conspicuous In practical
opeTaiions. Southerners figure chiefly as
beptficisries in the rise OF property and in
developments which apparently would
never have been but for Others. or the
advancement Of the Sou through southern
agencies and without northern capital and
capitalists we hear but little, and probably
there il little % be heard. OF actual south
crn enterprise we suspect there Is little,
and little TO be expected"
As an offset TO the ignorance displayed
by our Pittsburgh contemporary and those
equally misinformed, the New Orleans
Times Democrat quotes the editor OF the
Detroit Free Press, who recently visited
birmingham, Ala, as paying hightribute
10 the energy and industry Of the people OF
the place, and declaring that 1t is one OF the
most thoroughly southern towns he had
ever seen, that the people are repre-
sentative soutberners, and that there Is
nothing characteristic OF the North
about the town. The Times Democrat
then remarks that it is safe TO say that %
per cent. Of the capital OF Birmingham
came from New Orleans, Nashville, Rich
mond, and other southern cities; that a
like proportion OF its population Is OF
southern birth, southern ideas, habits, and
thought; that so it Is OF Chattanooga and
all the other progressive towns OF the
South. and In conclusion adds:
awe are glad 10 welcome people from all
portions OF the country who wish to make
ibe,r homes with US. They will find OPP
portuujties offered here that they cannot
Get In the North or West, and their capital
will produce better results. They can DO
their share toward developing this section
m proportion TO their numbers and their
cap,ial. but these are small as yet, and the
advance the South is making to-day Is al
most without exception through southern
industry, enterprise, and energy"
The Times Democrats observations are
OF a piece with what the Dispatch has fire.
quently SAID IN touching upon this subject.
We do not underyalue in the least the bene-
fits that the South has derived from north
ern capital and immigration. We hail with
Measure the influx OF both. But to admit
the claim that these have been the great
and principal forces in the work OF south
ern industrial development would be to do
violence TO truth and would involve the
erossest injustice to our own people. II
would not be necessary TO go stones
throw from the Dispatch Office TO prove
that the impelling powers in southern pro-
gress are southern iortitude, patience, IN
dustry, energy and manhood-the adapta
ton OF old iorces-which war, poverty, and
"all the ills Of conquered state " could not
devitalize--to the exigences OF changed
regime. II Is not necessary TO 90 back more
than few years TO show that II the north
ern capital tha, has recently come into the
South had not sought southern cooperation
II would In all probability have been
sunk. With the iewest exceptions the
enterprises Of northern men in the
South which have been successful
have been those in which southern
capital has also been interested and which
have had the benefit Of southern brain, expe-
rience, and pluck. Northern capital 10 the
South " greatly 20 be desired. The more
OF 1t that comes hither the better. But the
northern capitalist Is wlsest who Joins
hands with the southern capitalist. aud
pools business ideas with southern men 10
the prosecution Of any enterprise.